Fashion

I like to think of myself as a fashionable person, I’m probably not as quite as fashionable as I would like to be since becoming a Mummy. A few years ago you wouldn’t have found a pair of jeans in my wardrobe, now however I am normally seen in them. I do however like to keep my eyes on the cat walks around the world and their various fashion weeks. Sometimes I see items I love, others I just cannot imagine anywhere else other than a catwalk, or there are even items I think are awful, but thats fashion for you. What one person likes another might not, luckily we are in a time when whatever your style is you can find it on the catwalks.

Cities around the world have become more and more fashionable over the last 10 years or so. How they rank in the style stakes, for fashioneastas around the the world has also changed as they have become a shopper’s paradise. Today Zalando have been looking at this and have sent me their findings to share with my readers.

Zalando’s research

Zalando, an online fashion retailer, conducted their own research and created a list of the most elegant cities in the world. Together with Frank Wright, experts in male fashion and retailers of desert boots, we look at what makes them top destinations and how much it’ll cost you to visit.

1.Paris, France

Unsurprisingly, Zalando ranked Paris at the number one spot due to its high perception from fashion journalists and the number of events, expos and more that the city has been host to. Everyone who is anyone has heard of Paris fashion week, with the fashion elite flying in from all over the world. Paris is lined with trendy neighbourhoods, including Montmarte, with a rich history and culture tucked away on a hill in the north of the city.

Paris to be the city of love, with the lock bridge being the place to go while on a romantic trip. It’s impossible to believe that you’re in any old city when you’re strolling around Paris. If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind boutiques, head over to the famous Champs-Élysées which stretches from the place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. For the full Parisian experience, head to rue Saint-Honoré which boasts the perfect balance of classic designers and Parisian concept stores.

Return flight: £54

Mid-range accommodation: £115-220

2. London, England

The capital city of England and home to the British Royal family, plus some of the biggest designers in the world, it comes with little surprise that London has made the top cut.

London has it all, award winning resturants, attractions, bars and musicals you cannot go far wrong in London. With fabulous panoramic views of the city at The Shard or heading to smaller cocktail bars such as the award-winning Dirty Martini in Islington. London really does have something for everyone.

London is also home to many of the finer things life, how could one forget Harrods? Seven floors and 330 departments dedicated to the only-the-best products in food, fashion, homeware and more. For outdoor browsing, head over to Bond Street for exclusive brands, designer fashion or Mayfair for luxurious goods and super exclusive restaurants.

Return flight: N/A

Mid-range accommodation: £100-200

3. Vienna, Austria

Vienna is the capital of Austria, it sits in the east of the country. Vienna is well-known for its elaborate palaces and historic buildings. According to Zalando,Vienna is the 3rd most elegant city in the world. However Vienna although a fashionable place to visits, it has a much lower number of fashion weeks, expos and much fewer designers who live within the city.

In Vienna as with all the other cities in this top 5, you can find all the international luxury brands in the centre of the city. For example at Tuchlauben, a very popular shopping area that is part of the Goldenes Quartier. For local designer garments, make your way towards Neubaugasse and Kirchengasse. Vienna is also home to the famous Lindengasse fashion mile, a street of small boutiques offering stylish fashion in the form of independent brands.

If you are wanting to find more local designer items then you need to be around Neubaugasse and Kirchengasse, to pick up the best items.

Return flight: From £53*

Mid-range accommodation: £57-93

4.Venice, Italy

Another of the fabulous Italian cities. Venice is famous for its picturesque waterways and scenic canals, Venice gives off vibes of luxury and class. Traditionally, the local craftsmen specialised in creating delicate masks that are worn for the Carnival of Venice and for their glass-blowing techniques. The Italian city of Venice is now becoming a location for fashion lovers all over the world, with its prestigious showrooms and ateliers of big designers.

If it’s the designer boutiques for you looking for, then you need head towards St Mark’s Square, known all over the world for it’s collection of designer stores. Look out for the streets Calle delle Mercerie or Calle Larga XXII Marzo and shop to your hearts content. Discover charming side streets where you can buy custom made Venetian slippers and other garments unique to the city.

However Venice ranked lesser than the other destinations according to Zalando due to its lower number of fashion schools in the city and their rankings.

Return flight: From £19*

Mid-range accommodation: £62-159

5. Florence, Italy

Florence is a beautiful city and over the last 10 years or so it has become a trendy city, with more people discovering the wonderful art museums, colourful architecture and quaint shopping streets. The Italian city is home to big names such as Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo as well as other big-name boutiques which can be found at Via Tornabuoni.

Florence is home to many well as the established world-famous designers. But there is so much more to discover, with many local markets and tanneries, many of which are from a family of traders who have been creating leather goods for centuries. Find yourself an accessory that’s truly unique. There’s also the unmissable Ponte Vecchio for jewellery lovers, discover pieces set with precious gemstones that you’d struggle to find anywhere else. Heaven!

The city has many rooftop bars like, The Grand Hotel Baglioni and the Torre Guelfa Hotel which give you some of the best views across the city. Allowing you to capture perfect shots of Florence from these spots whilst you enjoy a drink and soak up the atmosphere.

Return flight: From £67*

Mid-range accommodation: £97-176

Do you have a favourite fashionable destination?

*Based on flights to and from the UK, the cheapest month and for the cheapest duration.

I love shopping, I mean I really love shopping! In store or online I love both. I love heading to the shops a find gorgeous items to buy, that I probably don’t really need. I always find that in shops I am more inspired by the visual products and how everything matches and looks so wonderful together. Coming out of numerous shops loaded with bags full of goodies is for me, so much fun.

When I shop online it’s more because I am looking for something specific that I really want (maybe not need). It could be clothing, items for the children, a gift for someone, something for the house but online shopping for me isn’t so much about browsing like I do in the shops it’s about knowing I need an item then finding the best place to get it.

I often find that when we purchase something bigger maybe over £50 I will always look to see if I can find it cheaper online. Or I will know what I want and go to a shop to see it and then see where the best offers are to buy it. I love a bargain.

Sale shopping is another thing I love to do, my Hubby knows that just after Christmas and into the New Year numerous parcels will arrive from all of my online sale shopping…… who doesn’t love a bargain right?

Bargain hunting with online discounts

There are now so many online stores that stock the same products and normally all with a different price, these prices are not just the odd £, it can sometime add up to £££ depending on sales, on-line discounts and special offers that are running. So finding the best price for an item means I can buy something else, or put the rest into savings for a little trip away.

As a family or even when the Hubby and I get a child free night or two, I always look for a bargain break away. It’s always fun for me to search and find somewhere lovely for a couple of nights away and even better when I find online discounts on Groupon. I have used Groupon many times for various different things, it could be a discount for one of my favourite shops like the White Company or it could be a spa day offer for me and a friend or a mini break away. Whatever you are looking for there is always a discount code waiting for you with Groupon.

If like me you love to find a bargain, where are your favourite places to find them?

*This post was made in collaboration with Groupon. As always thoughts and opinions are my own.*

For the last few years, I have been hitting them gym 3-4 times a week or not going for months. At the moment I’m in a ‘I’ve forgotten where the gym is’ phase. But the summer is coming and I am going to get myself back down to gym. While at the gym I love to swim, but I generally wear a standard black swimsuit.

I have a couple of friends who swim competitively, they head out to competitions most weekends. They have always swam but in the last few years taken it up more seriously. Mia, my friends daughter has just turned 13 and is now swimming for the county and hitting some top times in her races.

Like I said whenever I head to the pool at the gym, I am just wearing the standard black swimsuit. So I have been speaking with them about what they like to wear while competing. I never knew that there was so many things to think about. Nose clips, hats, googles, style of swimsuit to wear. Then depending on the training they are doing, hand paddles to help with muscle strengthening, a pull kick board to help with your leg strengthening and movement through the water. Then a finger paddle to help with gliding through the water. I will be honest, I never realised they think about all of these things when taking up swimming.

What’s in a competitive swimmers kit?

I asked Mia to tell be about the items within her swim bags and show me her top picks from Simply Swim. Mia heads training 4-6 times a week depending on if she is competing at the weekend. Often heading to the pool before and after school, so snacks are always found in her bag. Mia knows that she has to put in the hours in the pool to reach her goals of heading the the Olympics in a few years.

Along with the food supplies, water bottle and towel, Mia has told me she also has 3 kneeskin’s, which is an all in one swim suit that goes up from the thighs, googles, hat and nose peg.

Top competitive swimwear from Simply Swim

Mia loved this ‘Arena Powerskin Carbon air full body‘ in the plum colour. The colour is fabulous so she can be seen better through the water. The length of the shorts are just what Mia looks for when choosing her swimwear. This offers compression areas without altering the comfort of the suit, perfect for competing. Mia really likes the Arena swimwear range.

Having a great pair of goggles is really important to Mia, they allow her to race though the water with ease. Mia said that the goggles have to fit perfectly over her swim cap. These pink ‘speedo virtue mirror goggles‘ caught Mia’s eyes.

To finish off Mia’s top picks, she went for this Speedo ‘printed long hair cap‘ to keep her long hair all neatly tucked away. The caps help to make the swimmer to reduce the drag of the water. I never knew that caps came designed for long hair or short hair. It would appear that there is a lot I didn’t know about competitive swimming.

As a teenager it is also important to her that she looks great in the pool, as well as having the best equipment to help produce the best results. Although Mia is able to wear a lot of the junior swimwear ranges, she is now beginning to go into the adult range. The wonderful thing about Simply Swim is they offer both junior and adult options in the same styles. Simply Swim cater for the whole family from babies to adults, so whatever you are looking for you will be able to find.

Do you swim competitively? What’s in you kit?

I wish Mia lots of luck in her next big race weekend. Keep it up sweetheart and we shall see you at the Olympics in a few years.

*This post was made in collaboration with SImply Swim. As always thoughts and opinions are my own, however Mia helped me out with this post.*